Regular auto details increase the value of your vehicle, but they aren’t the only method for maintaining your investment.
There are several things you can do in between your auto detailing appointments to maintain and care for your car so it stays in great shape and retains its value over time.
Steps to Ongoing Car Maintenance
Keep the Interior of Your Car Clean
While an interior detail can help take care of the crumbs, dirt and stains that tend to accumulate over time – especially in family cars or vehicles used for lots of work commutes and travel – staying on top of the clutter is important to do on your own. That way, when you do need to schedule an appointment with Fort Worth Auto Detail for a quick interior car cleaning, you’ll be ready to go.
To help you, we’ve provided a guide to car organization here. Utilizing storage bins and other methods for car organization can help everything in your vehicle have a place and be easily transported from your vehicle into the house or garage, as needed.
Regularly Wash Your Car
From work commutes to family trips, your car is going to get dirty again after your detailing appointment. Fortunately, with our ceramic coatings, that dirt should not cause harm to your vehicle and will make it easy to maintain.
It may feel tempting to run your car through the car wash, but that is not something we recommend, which you can read more about here.
Instead, there are a couple of ways you can maintain your car’s clean exterior in between auto details:
- Hand wash your car at home when the weather is nice. There are lots of different car washing kits you can buy online or at your local auto store so you can hand wash your vehicle when it needs it.
- Choose one of our weekly or monthly detailing plans. We know you’re busy and you may not have the time to hand wash your vehicle when it needs it. That’s why we have put together some ongoing car detailing plans to help.
Follow a Car Maintenance Checklist
When it comes to car ownership, there is a lot that goes into ongoing vehicle maintenance. We have sourced Allstate’s comprehensive car maintenance checklist to help. Feel free to customize this list based on your specific vehicle and car care needs.
Tire Check
- Maintain your car’s tire pressure by checking the PSI with a tire gauge and inflating or deflating your tires as needed.
- Rotate your tires every 5,000 to 10,000 miles.
- Replace tires, as needed.
Oil Changes
- Change your oil regularly. Neglecting regular oil changes can wear out your engine. You can change your oil yourself or take it to an auto service center.
Fluid Levels
- You or your mechanic should check the following fluids in your vehicle to make sure they stay at the appropriate level:
- Engine oil
- Coolant
- Power steering fluid
- Brake fluid
- Transmission fluid
Lights
- Replace broken or burnt-out bulbs before getting a ticket. You want to make sure your lights are always in working order for your safety and others on the road.
Windshield Wipers
- Replace windshield wipers, as needed. Windshield wipers wear and tear over time. Make sure you replace them when you see them getting into disrepair so you are prepared for our next Texas rain or ice storm.
Air Filter Replacement
- Check your car’s air filter once a year and replace as needed. Keep the air circulating through your vehicle clean by replacing your car’s air filter.
Regular Checkups
- Hire a professional. While most of the items listed above can be done on your own, things like the Check Engine Light and some of the more technical problems that arise may require the help of a professional. Find an auto mechanic near you to help you in times like these.
Brake Checks
- Conduct regular brake inspections. If you hear anything out of the ordinary when driving your car – squealing, shuddering or vibrating noises when pressing on the brakes, have your brakes looked at. You may need the brake pads replaced.
Belts & Hoses
- At every oil change, make sure your auto mechanic is also checking your belts and hoses to avoid any car system failures on the road.
If you feel overwhelmed by the number of items you need to maintain for your vehicle, don’t be! If you don’t have the time or desire to keep up with all of these things yourself, make sure you are taking your vehicle to a good mechanic regularly. They will be checking for most of these things for you and letting you know what needs to be refilled or changed or repaired.
Practice Good Car Ownership
Finally, there are a few things you can do in between auto details to maintain the integrity of your vehicle and your safety on the road.
Review Your Car Insurance Policy Regularly
Review your car insurance regularly to make sure your policy’s coverages, limits and deductibles are all up-to-date.
Keep Battery and Jump Starts in Your Car at All Times
No one wants to be left stranded, or your car abandoned, with a dead battery. Make sure you have jump starts in your vehicle and that you know how to properly use them if the situation should ever call for it.
Know How to Change a Tire
For most car owners, you know how to do this already, but if you were never taught or took the time to go learn what to do should this happen to you, we thought we’d link to this quick how-to change a flat tire article to help.
It’s also a great reminder of some additional items to have in your vehicle should you ever need them:
- Spare tire
- Jack
- Lug wrench
- Vehicle owner’s manual
Improve as a Driver
A lot of people don’t take the time to do this, unless forced, but taking advantage of different classes and opportunities to improve as a driver can help you become a better driver and avoid accidents on the road, thus preserving the integrity of your vehicle and your safety on the road.
A few things you can do to improve as a driver…
- Know how to safely drive in snow and on wet, slippery roads – especially icy roads like we get here in Dallas-Fort Worth
- Know how to parallel park when you’re downtown or in the city
- Know how to use high beams politely
- Know how to avoid accidents through defensive-driving techniques
Should you have any questions about what you need to do following an auto detail appointment, please don’t hesitate to ask. We love to help our customers maintain their vehicle investment over time!
